Improvement in spurs



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEo TAPPEN TOWNSEND, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN SPURS.

Specification forming partof Letters Patent No. 37,880, dated March 10, 1863.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, TAPPEN TowNsEND, of the city of Brooklyn, Kings county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful invention in Spurs; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

The nature of my invention consists in improving a jointed spur (or a spur the branches of which are hinged or jointed and made to clasp the heel of the boot or shoe) by making upon the sides of the branches iianges which iit between the sole leather of the heel and the upper leather, and by attaching to the ends of the branches flat hooks, which, detlecting from the horizontal line of the branches and standing nearly at right angles with them, clasp around the end of the heel when the joint or hinge of the branches is closed, as hereinafter described; also, in attaching a heel-plate with a iiange upon its lower edge to act like unto the iianges attached to the side branches. This heel-plate is attached to a screw running through the shank of the spur, and is driven up by a screwnut inserted into the shank above the joint of the branches, thus forming them into two clamps which clasp the sides of the boots or shoe-heel, as hereinafter described, and another that clasps the ends of the same by pressing against the heel without mutilating in any Ina-nner the boot or shoe, or the wearer feeling any pressure upon the feet; also, in the peculiar kind of joint described below, which allows the branches to open and close sufficiently to admit of an easy and quick attachment and detachment of the spurs, while it is stronger, less expensive, and less liable to get out of order than any other joint before devised for this or a similar purpose.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

The letters in the several figures refer to same part in each figure.

a is the cylinder or sphere into which the rowels are inserted; b, shank of the spur; c, screw-nut inserted in the top ofthe shank by which the heel-plate and iiange cis driven up to close the clamp lengthwise of the heel. In some, in which the end of the shank is elevated, I place the screw-nut c under the rowels instead of inserting it into the shank.

d is a conical screw-nut, which is inserted into the under side of the shank and closes the branches f, as seen in Figure I, by pressing outward the dovetailed ends of the branches of the joint to the sides of the socket of the joint g, as seen in Fig. II, said dovetailed ends being kept in place by a plate soldered upon and over the socket after the dovetailed end of the branch es are inserted into the socket. In those spurs in which I use the conical screwnut d the branches f are detached from the socket g by turning. the screw-nut backward.

e is the heel-plate flanged at its lower edge, attached to a screw running through the shank, and is driven up by the screw-nut c, by which the clamp is closed lengthwise of the heel by pressing the forward end of the heel against the flat hooks j at the ends of the branches f.

f are branches which clasp the heel sidewise on turning the screw-nut d.

g is a socket of what I call the dovetailed joint, and the movement or opening and shutting of the branches is accomplished by the cone of the screw-nut d placed upon the under side of the shank or upon the side, as at h in Fig. III.

h is a screw and screw-nut by which the branches are opened and closed, asin Fig. III.

are flanges upon the upper edges of the branches, and which fit between the upper and sole leather of the boot the same as the heel-iiange upon the lower edge of the heelplate c, thus preventing any moving of the spur upon the boot when clamped by the branches and heel-plate.

j are flat hooks at the ends of the branches, which clasp around the front end of the heel.

I do not claim a jointed spur, for such have been before used, and with. appurtenances for opening and closing the joints but What I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The use of the socket g, as described and capable of receiving the dovetails on the ends of the branches f, in combination with the conical screw d., or its equivalent, which perfects the joint while it causes the clamping of the sides of the heel. A

2. The flanged heel-plate moved by the screw c, in combination with the flanges ii,

1Jhe three anges p'reventing` in their use the epression of thcspur.

3. The heel-plate e, with its screw, in coinbination with the Hat hooksj on the ends of jille branches, by thejoint functions of which the spur is clamped on and to the heel in the direction of its length.

4. The combination of the conical screw-nnb d, or its equivalent, the heel-plate e, anged at its lower edge with its screw7 and the ilanges i z', as affording a practicable method 1of' attaching spurs.

5. The combination of d e, and i with the socket g and branches f, substantially as described.

TAPPEN TOWNSEND.

In presence of- FREDERIG BALL, J. C. BUNTING. 

